Smart Auto Insurance Blog

Bristol West Insurance has a link on their page to some very interesting articles on highwaysafety.org.  One of the articles discusses thoroughly bans on cell phone usage while driving.  It’s become a hot topic as Oprah is trying very hard to get all Americans to sign pledges agreeing not to use their phone while driving.  Lives can be saved and more and more states are recognizing this and putting it in the law books.

Currently there is a jurisdiction wide ban on driving while talking on a hand-held phone in 7 states which include California, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Utah, Washington DC and Washington state.  In addition, many localities have placed restrictions on cell phone use, including Oprah’s hometown of Chicago, IL.

Text message is a newer phenomenon and texting while driving is even more dangerous as it takes drivers’ eyes off the road for a period of time.  Text messaging is currently banned in 20 states and Washington DC and that number is expected to rise as more and more studies show how dangerous it really is.  The use of cell phone for those driving a school bus is prohibited in only 17 states and Washington DC.  That seems like an obvious ban that should be placed everywhere.

Don’t be surprised if it becomes law across the nation that cell phone use while driving is restricted.  Already, car insurance quotes can be affected if you have been caught in an accident while on your phone.  It’s a very wise practice to get in the habit of even if your area currently has no restrictions.  Find a safe place to pull over if using your phone is absolutely necessary while you are on the road.

According to the article “How Does Cell Phone Use Affect A Cheap Car Insurance Quote?” by Sharon Gibson on youronlineinsurance.com, cell phone safety is a major concern for law enforcement.  More and more traffic incidents are caused by people talking and texting on their cell phones.  Cell phone usage is a huge distraction and directly affects your driving.

More and more auto insurance companies are offering discounts to drivers who are willing to drive safer.  You may get a discount for having a cell phone disabling system which is a device which blocks calls as well as text messages while you are operating the car.  Some companies will flat out ask you what your driving habits are in regards to cell phones.  Your answer may directly affect your car insurance quotes.

In today’s busy world it is becoming increasingly harder to put down the cell phone or personal digital assistant.  It’s important to realize the impact driving while using your phone can have.  Not only are you more likely to be an unsafe driver but it could end up costing you hundreds of dollars in insurance premiums over the years.

A Nationwide auto insurance survey discovered that 8 out of 10 Americans would support legislation restricting cell phone usage while driving according to the article “Nationwide Insurance, NASCAR Drivers, Encourage Students to Stop Driving Distracted” by Gayle Saunders found on reuters.com.

Nationwide Insurance has teamed up with Johnson C. Smith University, NASCAR’s Kyle Petty, NASCAR Nationwide Series driver Trevor Bayne and NASCAR’s Drive for Diversity Michael Cherry to support the rise of awareness for DWD (Driving While Distracted).  Not only does driving while you are distracted put lives at risk, but it can end up costing you a lot of money on your auto insurance quotes if you are in an accident or pulled over.

The survey that Nationwide auto insurance completed showed that 80% of Americans favor a ban on texting while driving and 2/3 of Americans support the ban of phone calls while over 50% say they support a ban of cell phone use altogether.  Nationwide and their partnerships are bringing together an educational campaign to spread the message about how dangerous it is to drive while distracted.  Nationwide is committed to helping their customers stay safe and protect what matters most to them.

Encompass Auto Insurance is concerned about keeping you safe, and has a section on their website dedicated to safety and prevention.  Many cities have outlawed the use of cell phones while driving because more and more accidents are being caused by distracted drivers who are on the phone. 

On the Encompass Auto Insurance website it discusses cell phone use while driving and they have some advice.  If you have to talk on the phone while you drive it is best to have a hands-free cell cradle in your car so you can speak without your hands.  But, it’s always safest to arrive at your destination before taking out your phone.  It’s too easy to get engrossed in a conversation and lose your focus on driving which is extremely dangerous.